assassination

American

[uh-sas-uh-ney-shuhn] / əˌsæs əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

the premeditated act of killing someone suddenly or secretively, especially a prominent person.

The meticulous way in which the journalist's assassination was carried out has led to suspicions that his killers were professionals working for state security.
the act of destroying or harming treacherously and viciously.

They went after me with everything they had, engaging in character assassination and in destroying my reputation—a complete fabrication and frame-up.

Other Word Forms

counterassassination noun

Etymology

Origin of assassination

assassin(ate) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The assassination attempt happened as the former president left the Washington Hilton hotel after giving a speech.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The death of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, announced Wednesday by Israel, was the third high-level assassination in roughly 24 hours in a series of strikes that have hollowed out Tehran’s leadership ranks.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

For baby boomers, the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

The Unification Church lost an appeal Wednesday against a Japanese court's order to dissolve the sect, which came under investigation following the assassination of ex-premier Shinzo Abe.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

He wanted photographs of the interior of the theater, to record exactly how it appeared at the moment of the assassination.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023